You have probably been told by your high school instructor that writing is an important and practical skill. However, you may not be convinced that the ability to write will be important in your own future. If so, you will be surprised at the results of a recent survey by the National Institute of Education. More than four thousand working men and women who had graduated fifteen years earlier were asked to name the courses they would have taken in college if they had known better. The designer of the survey expected people to name courses in computer science, mathematics, or business. But the course most often mentioned was writing.

    If you already have a job, you are probably not surprised at their answers. Many jobs require the ability to write. Despite the increasing use of the telephone and the computer, much information must be communicated in writing.Some ten million people—managers, engineers, sales representatives, and many others— write regularly as part of their jobs. Summaries, reports, reports, letters and speeches are required in today's work world. The ability to write, therefore, is an important skill. The successful individual is almost always the one who can communicate successfully in writing.

    Writing communicates your thoughts and feelings to others; it also tells you something about yourself. Maybe this is what Eldridge Cleaver had in mind in his autobiography, “I started to write... to save myself...I had to seek out the truth... I had to find out who I am and what I want to be ,what type of man I should be ,and what I could do to become the best of which I was capable.”

    Alvin Irby, a former kindergarten and first-grade teacher, was at a barbershop when he saw one of his former students sitting in the shop with a bored look on his face. That's when Irby realized that by pairing barbershops and books, he might be able to inspire young black boys to read.

    Four years ago, he launched Barbershop Books as a way to not just get books into the hands of young black boys, but to also create community reading spaces in a place where kids go frequently. Since its inception in 2013, the program has created kid-friendly reading spaces in 50 barbershops in 12 states throughout the United States.

    Irby isn't the first person to see the connection between barbers and books and boys. Hair stylist Courtney Holmes, launched a program a few years ago offering free haircuts to kids as long as they read to him while he cuts their hair.

    That's the kind of environment that Irby wants to promote with his program. The reading spaces created by Barbershop Books help to spark an interest in books by showing kids that reading is about more than just spelling and vocabulary skills, it's about making reading a low-stress activity that can help them relax, laugh and have fun.

    “Our belief is that if we can create positive reading experiences early and often for young black boys, then they will choose to read for fun because they will identify as a reader,” Irby noted, adding, “This is really what Barbershop Books is about, getting young black boys to say three words: I'm a reader.”

Irby's idea is catching on, and it will continue to spread thanks in part to the National Book Foundation. Barbershop Books recently won the organization's 2017 Innovations in Reading prize, which is given to Programs that use reading to make a social impact.

    When the sun sets in Hong Kong, the city skyline comes alive. Billboard（广告牌）lights flash, and light up the crowded streets. The colorful lights from the tall buildings are one of the city's main attractions.

    “Oh, my god. The lights are so amazing. We love it. It's so nice.” said one visitor.

    But this appreciation is not shared by everyone in Hong Kong. Lat year then government reported a record number of complaints. The curtains may be drawn. But residents argue the bright light outside is hard to escape. “We receive some complaints about the light pollution. They find it very hard to sleep or they have disturbance from the light outside.”

    Scientists at the University of Hong Kong spent 18 months studying levels of light pollution and collecting more than 5 million measurements. They found Hong Kong one of the world's worst “victims”. The lights pollution condition in Hong Kong was extremely severe. Particular in cities, the night sky brightness, as well as the lights, is a few hundred times over the level of that of a night sky without light pollution. In cities such as Seoul, London, Shanghai and Paris, billboard lighting is under control. And there are punishments for people who go against the law.

    But in Hong Kong, there are no laws. A volunteer regulation called Charter of External Light（户外灯光约章）encourages visitors to switch off between 11 p.m. and 7 p.m. The critics say it's not enough to make a difference. The government says 4800 businessmen have signed up to the Charter so far. And it's satisfied that it's working.

    But not everyone is convinced and some residents are taking upon themselves to act. Zoe Chow led a campaign to have a commercial building switch off their midnight. She won but she believes the lights will eventually turn back on. “I know that the building has signed the Charter of External Light. But it is voluntary, not mandatory（强制的）.

    Today, I felt upset, I decided to take a walk even though I didn't know where I would go. The most extraordinary thing happened when I was out on this walk. I saw an old man sitting on a chair. He was a seller of second-hand shoes. He seemed so tired and nobody was buying his shoes.

    I wanted to give him something but I had not brought anything with me. Then, a little girl came toward him. I heard the child say, ''Grandfather, may I polish your shoes?" That old man took pity on her, smiled and he gave her a shoe to polish. The girl said, I polish the shoe because I need money to buy my brother a new school uniform. The old man answered, "Oh, little girl. Just stop doing this. Come with me and I will buy you a uniform.”

    Then they walked to a market (I followed behind) and he bought her a uniform. The girl was so happy. She said, Thank you so much for doing this." Then she left, leaving the old man smiling. He walked away from the market, but I stopped him.

    I whispered in his ear, "You are a hero! Thank you for your kindness!” As I walked away, I glanced back and I could see him still smiling. I was blown away by the kindness I had just seen. Someone who had so little himself was able to show such incredible generosity! Amazing!

    My own sadness had completely disappeared, chased away by the light of this kind act. I began realizing that I have a lot to be thankful for.

    I live on the West Coast of British Columbia with my husband and three children. Our day started like any other day. My husband left for work in the north of the town, which is an hour and a half's drive. The younger children caught their bus to school ten minutes away. Our oldest attends high school and is a 40-minute drive away. I work at home in the office, working on the computer.

    It was November 2006 and the news had reported gusty winds. When the winds started to get strong I shut the computer down and tried to phone my husband. I left a message telling him the winds were blowing at 80 to 90 km/hr. As I hung up the phone, I heard a tree crack. I went outside and stood in the driveway. Another tree exploded and my heart was racing.

    When the school bus carrying the youngsters arrived, I ran to get them. No sooner had we made it to the house than another tree exploded. The children were clearly scared, so I loaded them up into the car and we parked in the middle of the yard, where no trees could land on us, it was starting to get dark.

    My oldest son didn't come home on the bus and my husband was stranded at work. I called the high school and reached my son. He said he was stranded and didn't know what to do. I called a friend in town for help. He managed to get my son home to me. Finally, my husband managed to get home.

    We had been prepared for such events, as we had a generator, candles, a wood stove, fresh water, batteries and two freezers full of food. We were without power for five days. But we didn't panic we had all the emergency equipment we needed. Thankfully, none of our neighbours were injured, but the damage was extensive. We are witnessing climate change. We need to be prepared.

    OK, so it's not a real war but the U. S. and China are at the beginning of a trade war thanks to President Trump's policy. The Chinese government raised $34 billion in new duties on goods exported from the U.S. last week in answer to President Trump's unwise tariffs(关税) of $34 billion on Chinese goods.

    Farm and seafood-producing states are going to be hit hardest by China's new tariffs on U. S. goods. States where cars are made and shipped to China are on the hook as well.

    In terms of value, some 38 percent of products on the tariff list are agricultural, including soybeans, sorghum, tobacco and meat. That's nothing like good news for farm-belt states, primarily in the Midwest like Iowa.

    A wide range of seafood is on China's tarifflist. That could hurt fishery workers in Alaska and lobster(龙虾) harvesters in Maine. Alaska, for example, exported nearly $lbillion worth of seafood to China. "China is a major market for Alaska seafood," said Alexa Tonkovich, Executive Director of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. "The seafood industry directly employs nearly 60,000 workers in Alaska each year and directly employs more workers than any other private industry."

    And automaking States, particularly in the South, are also at risk. Some 24 percent ofproducts on the list- in terms of value-are cars, trucks and other vehicles. Michigan alone exported $1.7 billion worth of motor vehicles and vehicle parts to China in 2017. Other states being affected include South Carolina, where BMW makes SUVs for both the U.S. and export, and Alabama, home to Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Honda and Hyundai factories.

    This round of tariffs spares some industries, like commercial aircraft. Washington State could breathe a sigh of relief, which is home to Boeing. It also, for the moment, skips tariffs on chemical products.

    Alexa Tonkovich has warned the U.S. government that the trade war could risk jobs, reduce industry profits, and cause higher prices for consumers in the U.S!